Ensemble Theatre Company will perform “American Son,” a thriller by Christopher Demos-Brown and directed by Jonathan Fox.
Performances will begin with a preview show at 7:30 p.m. April 7 at the New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St. Then the play will run from April 9 to April 24 at the Santa Barbara theater.
Curtain will rise at at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. There will be additional performances at 7:30 p.m. April 12 and 4 p.m. April 16. There will be no 7 p.m. performance April 17.
“American Son” takes place in the waiting room of a Miami police station where, in the middle of the night, the parents of a black teenager anxiously await news of their son, who may have been picked up by the police.
“We have been eager to finally bring this compelling and important new play to The New Vic stage since the production was halted in 2020,” said ETC Artistic Director Jonathan Fox. “The questions it raises about race in today’s America are even more vital and urgent than two years ago, and the playwright, Christopher Demos-Brown, has been working with us to incorporate events of the past two years. We have assembled an extraordinary cast and design team to bring this suspenseful and riveting work to life on The New Vic stage.”
“American Son” had a successful run at the Booth Theatre on Broadway, where it starred Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee. The play was adapted as a movie on Netflix.
Tickets cost $42 to $72. To purchase, go to etcsb.org or call ETC at 805-965-5400.
— Dave Mason
